Popular Blue Springs Mayor Carson Ross says he won't support the Jackson County proposal to raise the sales tax to support a medical research initiative, in part, because his city has its own sales tax measure on the ballot.

UNLESS LAWMAKERS VOTE TO RAISE THE DEBT CEILING. THE DEBATE IS INTENSIFYING TONIGHT OVER A PROPOSED TAX FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH IN JACKSON COUNTY. NEW AT FIVE -- BLUE SPRINGS MAYOR CARSON ROSS SAYS... COUNT HIM OUT. KMBC 9'S MICHEAL MAHONEY SPOKE WITH THE MAYOR -- AND JOINS US WITH MORE. MICHEAL-- THIS IS A SET BACK FOR THE COUNTY MEDICAL RESEARCH TAX CAMPAIGN. THE COUNTY TAX BOOSTERS WRE HOPING THE POPULAR BLUE SPRINGS MAYOR WOULD HELP THEM OUT IN AN IMPORTANT EASTERN JACKSON COUNTY TOWN. JACKSON COUNTY VOTERS ARE BEING ASKED TO APPROVE A HALF CENT INCREASE IN THE COUNTY SALES TAX. THAT WOULD GO TO DEVELOP A 21ST CENTURY MEDICAL RESEARCH CENTER, INVOLVING SEVERAL JACKSON COUNTY HOSPITALS. CARSON SAYS HE'S OUT BECAUSE BLUE SPRINGS HAS ITS OWN SALES TAX INCREASE ON THE BALLOT AT THE SAME TIME. THEIR HALF CENT TAX INCREASE PLAN WOULD GO TO THE BLUE SPRINGS PARK SYSTEM. HE SAYS THEY DIDN'T EXPECT THE COUNTY MEDICAL SALES TAX TO BE ON THE BALLOT. WE DON'T KNOW HOW THIS IS GOING TO AFFECT US. THE ONLY THING WE KNOW IS WHEN A LEMON LIKE THAT HAPPENS, YOU GOT TO HAVE LEMONADE. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING. WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON TELLING OUR STORY TO THE PEOPLE OF BLUE SPRINGS, AND NOT WORRY ABOUT TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE. IT'S CALLED A 'TRANSLATIONAL' MEDICAL TAX, BECAUSE THEY HOPE IT LEADS TO BREAK THRUS THAT CAN BE TRANSLATED INTO PRACTICAL TREATMENTS. BOTH THE BLUE SPRINGS PARKS TAX, AND THE MEDICAL RESEARCH TAX WILL BE ON